Corn-harvester



(No Model.) v 5 Sheets-Sheet 1. D. s. FISHER. CORN HARVESTER.

No. 456,511. Patenged Ju ly 21, 1891.

/ attozn et (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

D. S. FISHER.

CORN HARVESTER.

N 5 Patented July 21,1891.

@M Q @W (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

D. S. FISHER. CORN HARVESTER.

No. 456,511 Patented July 21,1891.

(No Model.) 5 She ets-Sheet 4.

D. S. FISHER.

CORN HARVESTER. No. 456,511. Patented'July 21, 1891.

qwvcmoooeo W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID S. FISHER, OF VALLEY CITY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES L.

MORRIS, OF CORYDON, INDIANA.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 456,511, dated July 21,1891.

Application filed September J 1890. Serial No. 364,057- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID S. FISHER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Valley City, in the county of Harrison and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn-I-Iarvesters;and I do declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichto i appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification."

My invention is in the nature of a machine for harvesting corn, by meansof which the corn is cut, tied, and shocked on end, the same as it isdone'by hand; and my invention consists in the improved construction,arrangezo ment, and combination of parts hereinafter fully described,and afterward specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 1s a top plan view of my machine.Fig. 2 is a view in elevation of the right-hand side of the machine.Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of the front of the machine. Fig. 1 is atop plan View of the revolving table with the hinged leaf raised in theposition it assumes in dropping off the tied-up shock of corn. Fig. 1s aplan view of the sickle-chest, part being broken away to show theinternal arrangement of parts. Fig. (3 shows in detail the con structionof the sickle-sections. Figs. 7 and 8 show in detail plan and sectionthe construction of the binder-arm 92. Fig. 9 is a detail View ofbinder-arm 93.

Like numerals of reference mark the same parts wherever they occur inthe various figo nres of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is the drivingwheel mounted upon a suitabletransverse shaft 10, which is journaled in the framework. Thisframe-work consists, principally, of longitudinal beams 2 and 3, crossbeams a and 5, and uprights 6 and 7, dependingirom the longitudinal beam3 and supporting a lower longitudinal beam 8.

9 is a journal-box attached to the under 50 side of beam 3 and in whichone end of the shaft 10 of the driving-wheel 1 has its bearing. Theother end of the shaft 10 has its hearing in a similar journal-boxattached to' the under side of longitudinal beam 2. The longitudinalbeam 8 extends rearwardly beyond that portion of the machine in whichthe driving mechanism works and beyond the upright 7, serving as asupport for one end of the sickle-chest 111.

12 is an end piece removably attached to 6c the sickle-chest.

The two rear corners of the machine are supported on the ground bywheels 13 and 14, the wheel ll being located near the rear end of theremovable piece 12 of the sickle- 6 chest 11.

The machine will be drawn by horses or other animals attached in anywell-known manner at the point l5 directly in front of thedriving-wheel, so as to give a central draft. 7o

Attached to one side of the driving-wheel 1 is a crown-gear 16, whichmeshes with a cogwheel 17 on a shaft 18, which is supported at rightangles to the shaft 10 andin the same plane therewith. The shaft 18 isjournaled at its forward end, just inside of the cog-wheel 17, in ajournal-box. 18, depending from the longitudinal beam 3, and at its rearend in a bearing projecting from the frame-piece 7. On the rear end ofthis shaft 18 is mounted So a crown-wheel 19, which engages a gear-wheel20 on an upright shaft 21, having its hearings in the sickle-chest 11.

\Vithin the sickle-chest 11, at each end thereof, is a sprocket-wheelmounted upon suitable shafts having bearing in the casing, one of saidshafts being a continuation of shaft 21.

23 is an endless belt of knives or sicklesections supported between thesprocket-wheels 9o 22 and adapted to be rotated thereby. Thesickle-chest has the customary guide'piece 11 near its forward edge tokeep the sickles to their work. This endless belt of sickles 23 iscomposed of a number of individual sections 24:, each having on its rearside a notch 26, with which the sprocket-wheels engage, and on itsforward side a knife 25, sharpened 011 both edges. These sections 24 arehinged together by means of countersunk screws 27, too and may therebybe readily taken apart for purposes of sharpening or repairing. Theteeth 25 operate through guard-fingers 28 in the manner well known inharvesters.

The endless belt of sickles is adapted to move in one direction only,and the knives are sharpened on both edges, so that they maybe madeinterchangeable when one edge becomes dull or for other reasonsinoperative. (See Figs. 5 and 6 for the arrangement and construction ofthe sickle-chest and sickles.)

On the opposite side of the driving-wheel l is secured abelt-pulley 29,which turns with the driving-wheel, and through the medium of a belt 30drives a pulley 31, mounted on the inner end of a shaft 32, whichcarries at its outer end the reel 33. This reel-shaft 32 is supported inbearings in a frame 34, hinged to an upright 35, supported bylongitudinal beam 2. The reel is adjustable vertically by moving itssupporting-frame 34 on its pivot 36, said frame being held in anyadjusted position by an angular lock-bolt 37, pivoted to its rear endand engaging in notches 38 in a .curved upright 39,,rising from the rearend of the longitudinal beam 2. The spokes of the reel 40 and 41 moveupon each other, and are thus radially adjustable, being held in theiradjusted positions by set-screws 42. To prevent slackness of thereel-driving belt 30 by reason of the adjustment of the frame 34 on itspivot, an automatic belt-tighteneris provided, consisting of an arm. 43,pivoted at 44 to the upright 35 and having in its rear end ananti-friction wheel 45, which by its gravity is kept continually incontact with said belt 30, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

46 is a revolving table mounted on an upright 47, (see Fig. 4,) havingits bearing in the sickle-chest 11 and provided with a hinged leaf 48,the two leaves being connected by a spring 49, whose normal tendency isto cause the hinged leaf to lie down upon the table 46 in the positionshown in Fig. 1.

On the shaft47 below the table 46 is mounted a pulley or cog 50, (shownin dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 4,) which is driven by a belt or chain51, which at its opposite end passes around a pulley or cog 52, beingprevented from spreading or slipping off its pulleys or cogs by passingunder a bracket 53, soon red to the top of asickle-chest 11. The pulleyor cog 52 is mounted on an upright shaft 54, havi ngits bottom bearingin the sickle-chest 11 and an upper bearing in a longitudinal beam 55,projecting rearward from longitudinal beam 3. On its upper end the shaft54 has a cog or pulley 56, driven by a belt or chain 57 from a cog orpulley 58 on a longitudinal shaft 59, having its hearings in uprights 60and 61, supported near the rear end of longitudinal beam 3. On the innerend this shaft 59 is provided with a crank 62, Within easy reach of thedriver when he occupies the seat 63. The pulley 58 is double-grooved ordoubletoothed, and carries also beside belt 57 a belt 64, leading from.a pulley 65, mounted on a shaft 66, having bearings in upright 67,secured to longitudinal beam 3. This shaft 66 extends inward beyond itshearings in upright 67 and carries a loose cog 68, which may be causedto engage with crown-wheel 16, when desired, by a shifter 69, pivoted at70 to the longitudinal beam 3, being held normally out of gear by meansof a spring 71, secured at 72 to the cross-beam 4.

In the upper portion of the upright 60 and 61 is mounted a shaft 73,carrying at its inner end a crank 74 within easy reach of the driver andbetween the uprightsa drum 75, to which is attached one end of a cord orrope 76. This rope passes rearward over and around a pulley 77, mountedin .the upper end of an arm 78, projecting upward from the sickle-chest,and thence forward to a point 79, where it is connected to the arm 80.The arm is rigidly attached to ashaft 81, having bearings at the rear ofthe sickle-chest. The shaft 81 is provided with two arms 82 and 83,which project forward and lie flat upon the top of the sickle-chestunder rollers 84 and 85, which are attached to the sides of the hingedleaf 48 of the revolving table.

Mounted in suitable bearings in the rear part of the machine is a shaft86, having on its upper enda crank 87 and on its lower end a pinion 88,which engages with the teeth of two rack-bars 89 and 90, sliding in ways90 on top of the sickle-chest 11. The rack-bar 90 is provided at 91,near its outer end, with a hinged right-angled arm 92, and the bar 89 isprovided with an upright hook-ended bar 93.

The construction of the bars 92 and 93 is clearly shown in Figs. 7, 8,and 9. The rightangled bar 92 is hinged in the extreme end of therack-bar 90 and is provided with a rightangled extension 92-", whichholds the bar in raised position by impinging against the upper surfaceof the sickle-box between the ways 90.

92 is a cavity made in the top of the sicklechest at the extreme end ofthe guideway 90, into which the extension 92 drops when the rack-bar 90reaches the end of its stroke, thus allowing the arm 92 to drop to ahorizontal position, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

93 is a plain bar with the hook at top.

94 is a reel, upon which is wound a suitable supply of cord or wire 95,which passes through an eye 96 and then down along the front edge of thesickle-chest 11 until it reaches and is secured in an eye 97 in the endof bar 92, passing behind an upright flange or protector 98, secured tothe front edge of the sickle-chest 11.

. Slots 99 and 100 are provided in the hinged leaf 48, and a slot 101 inthe revolving table 46 registers with slot 100,these slots beingprovided to permit the arms 92 and 93 to be drawn toward each other inthe operation of forming a bundle.

The operation of my machine may be described as follows: The parts,except the table, being in the position shown in Fig. 1, the machine isdrawn forward, the sickle and wheel operating until sufficient corn hasbeen cut and laid upon the revolving table with the heads toward therear to form a shock. The machine is now stopped, and the driver,takinghold of the crank turns the shaft 59 and pulley 58, which by meansof belt 57 and pulley 56 drives shaft 54. and pulley 52, and thence bymeans of belt 51 and pulley 50 turns shaft l7 and revolves the table 46a half-revolution until the heads of the corn lying upon itare turned tothe front. This brings the revolving table into the position shown inFig. l with the hinges at the rear and the slots at the front, with thecorn lying upon the string 95, said string being stretched as shown. Thedriver now reaches down with a hook, takes the wire or twine and puts itin the hook in the end of arm 93, attached. to the front rack-bar 89. Henow turns crank 87, which, through the medium of shaft 86, pinion 88,and rack-bars 89 and 90, causes the two arms 92 and 93, carrying thewire or twine, to approach each other in the slots 99 and 100 in thehinged leaf of the revolving table, thereby pressing the tops of thecorn together. He now reaches down and ties the two ends of the cordtogether around the tops of the corn, cuts the cord or wire, fastens thecut end in the eye 97 of the arm 92, then turns the crank 87 in thereverse direction, causing the arms 92 and 93 to leave each other andpass out of the slots in the table until the arm 92 reaches the end ofits stroke and automatically drops down, drawing the cord or wire underthe arms 93 and edge of the table again, Where it will be protected frominjury by the upright strip 98, behind which it lies. The driver nowtakes hold of crank 74 and by turning shaft 73 winds up cord 76 on drum75, drawing the upper end of arm 80 upward, and thus partially rotatesthe shaft 81, which causes the arms 82 and 83 to rise, and by the reasonof their hearing under the rollers 84 and 85 raising the hinged leaf -48of the revolving table to an upright position, as shown in Fig. 4, thusdumping the tied shock of corn, butts down, upon the ground, where itwill stand upright. Should he desire to have the operation of themachine revolve the table, he pushes the shifter 69 to the left, causingthe cog 68 to engage the crown-wheel 16, and thus turn the shaft 65,which, through the medium of pulley 66 and belt V 64, will rotate thepulley 5S, and so on through the train of mechanism comprising belts 57and 51, causing the table to be revolved. After the corn has been dumpedthe spring 49 will cause the hinged leaf to resume its horizontalposition. The cutting and tying of each succeeding shook will be but arepetition of these operations.

WVhile the machine is cutting, the bar 92 must be kept in a raisedposition to prevent its being injured by the corn through which it ispassing, but must be allowed to drop again before the table is turned,so that it will not interfere with the turning.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a corn-harvester, a rotating table provided with a hinged leaf,means for rotating said table at will, rollers on the sides of saidhinged leaf, a rock-shaft having arms extending under said rollers, andmeans for operating said rock-shaft, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. In combination, the table 46, having leaf 48, rollers 84 and 85 onthe sides of said leaf, rock-shaft 81., having arms 82 and 83 projectingunder said rollers, arm 80 on the end of said shaft, cord 76, pulley 77,pulley 75, and crank 74. within reach of the driver, as setforth.

3. In combination, the rotating table, its pulley 50, belt 51, pulley52, shaft 54, pulley 56, belt 57, pulley 5S, belt 64, pulley 65,cogwheel 68, and crown-wheel 16 on the drivingshaft, as set forth.

4;. In combination, the rotating table, its pulley 50, belt 51, pulley52, shaft 54, pulley 56, belt 57, pulley 58, belt 64:, pulley 65,cogwheel 68, crown-wheel 16 on the driving-shaft, shifting bar 69, andspring 71, as set forth.

5. In combination, the sickle-chest 11, provided with way on top of it,rack-bars 89 and 90, sliding in said Ways, cord-arms 92 and 93, carriedbysaid rack-bars, pinion 88, engaging said rack-bars, shaft 86, andcrank 87, as set forth.

6. In a corn-harvester, the combination of a cutting apparatus, arevolving table, slots in said table, sliding rack-bars, and bindingarmscarried by said rack-bars and adapted to enter said slots, for thepurpose set forth.

7. In a corn-harvester, the combination of a cutting apparatus, arevolving table, slots in said table, rack-bars carrying bindingarms, apinion engaging said rack-bars, and means for operating said pinion, forthe purpose set forth. 7

8. In combination with a corn-harvester, a cutting apparatus, arevolving table, rack bars carrying binding-arms, and means foroperating said rack-bars, one of said bindingarms being hinged to therack-bar so as to drop from a vertical to a horizontal position when itreaches theend of its stroke, for the purpose set forth.

9. The combination of the sickle-chest 11, a revolving table, slots insaid table, guideways on top of said sickle-chest, rack-bars w orking insaid guideways, binding-arms carried by said rack-bars and adapted toenter the slots of the table, a pinion engaging the rack-bars, a shaft86, and a crank 87, for the purpose set forth.

10. In a corn-harvester, the combination of a rotating table, a leafhinged to said table, means for raising said leaf, and a spring forreturning said leaf to its normal positiomfor the purpose set forth.

In testimonywhereof I affixmysignature in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID S. FISHER. IVitnesses:

J. K. P. SONNER, CHARLES Buss.

IIO

